Flame
by Hanae da Firefly
Summary: Sometimes, it takes a little less to know how much you really have. Leon and Cloud take a break from reconstruction efforts. PreKH2. Can be read on its own, or as a sequel to No Words. Canon, graphic sex scenes, oneshot. [LC]


**Flame**

Cloud gasped harshly, lungs burning for air as deft, slender fingers dug into his thigh, marring his skin with a deep shade of scarlet. Sweat rolled down his body, slick against the other man's hot skin, bare flesh exposed and furiously pressed against one another, body demanding no space at all between them. Soft lips crushed down on his mouth, tongue snaking in forcefully and denying him of oxygen, rubbing against his own tongue sensually, searchingly.

The air was hot and heavy; suffocating. It was dark, and there was barely any room to breathe, let alone move. Brown tresses clung to his face and neck from the perspiration, body hot and sticky as he let his free hand whisper across Cloud's body, towards his hardened arousal. Leon refused to let the blond pull away from the kiss, using the small size of the tent to his advantage and pinning him down with no room to turn away. He opened Cloud's mouth with his own, allowing him a quick gasp of air as he nibbled on the smaller man's lower lip gently, tongue flitting across the roof of his mouth and stealing quick, hot kisses, eliciting soft, wet sounds and low moans.

Leon had already penetrated deep into Cloud, waiting for him to adjust before he began swaying his hips. Letting his lips trail the younger man's neck hungrily, he nicked at the tender skin of his throat before sinking his teeth in, sucking and licking at it ravenously. A hand was still propping Cloud's leg up by the thigh, fingers stroking his cool skin coaxingly as Leon pushed himself deeper into Cloud, capturing his lips again as the man beneath him gasped.

The brunet grasped Cloud's erection with sweaty fingers, squeezing it tightly and fingering the head as Cloud writhed beneath him, forcing him to pause. He sat up slightly, the blond whimpering at the loss of heat and contact, and pulled Cloud's hips up towards him, no longer patient enough to be able to wait for him. Pulling out, Leon rammed in with a sharp, well-aimed thrust, causing Cloud to throw his head back and moan his name loudly.

Leon pulled out again, Cloud panting harshly, sitting up a little, fingers clawing into Leon's back as he buried his face into the crook of the brunet's neck, both legs wrapping tightly around his waist as Leon relinquished his grip, both arms draping around Cloud's waist loosely. His hands pulled Cloud closer towards him, kissing his throat and licking at the sweat beading his skin as he slowly lowered both of them onto the tangled sleeping bags, causing the blond to gasp at the pain searing through him once the older man rammed into him again.

Cloud had already squeezed his eyes shut at the sharp twinges jolting through his willowy body as Leon started a rhythmic pace, thrusting in deeper and faster as both elbows propped him up by the side of the blond's head, Cloud pulling Leon down by the hair to meet for a wet, messy kiss.

Slowly, as the pain began to melt and give way to the pleasurable heat and euphoria draining his blood like the rush of pure adrenaline, Cloud had grasped his own erection, the feel of his calloused fingers on his own skin unfamiliar and thrilling as he gripped it tentatively, sliding his hand up and down in steady strokes, pace gradually quickening and moving in time to Leon's thrusts.

No longer able to keep his eyes open, Cloud felt his body become limp and boneless at the immense heat engulfing him, swallowing him whole as the tingling of Leon's hot breath caressing his skin, and the wet sounds of sweat-slicked thighs slapping against his skin sent exhilarating sensations ripping through his body.

He was pumping himself frantically, desire clouding his thoughts and making all coherent thought take wing, only the unbearable heat of the tent, the warmth of Leon's body on top of his, the sheen of sweat covering them, and the unrelenting friction that made everything bear a pleasurable edge being all that mattered as hot lips started trailing his collar bone, going higher and crushing down on his mouth.

Ecstasy was pulsating through him and soaking his skin like liquid fire, Leon's dark hair tumbling from his shoulder in wet clumps and tickling his skin as the rhythm grew frenzied and desperate, Cloud hoarsely pleading for Leon to thrust harder and faster, both bodies convulsing in anticipation, thoughts bearing no weight as a violent wave of pleasure cleared their heads completely, both men slamming simultaneously into orgasm, Leon keeping himself up shakily with a final thrust before pulling out completely and collapsing on Cloud, semen spilled generously on his stomach and thighs.

Both bodies still wracked with small tremors, Leon's head buried in Cloud's chest, the brunet just lay there with his eyes closed, drawing out the blissfulness of the orgasm as his hand unsteadily crept up to Cloud's, lacing their fingers together and squeezing his affectionately, words unable to be spoken through the haze of the aftermath of intense sex. They had already done this a handful of times only a half hour before, bodies needing rest but still yearning for more of the friction and heat and desire and pleasure.

Muscular arms pulled him upwards, Leon raising his head up slightly to find himself locked in Cloud's smouldering gaze. Their lips meeting for a soft, tender kiss, Leon found that his grip on Cloud's hand had tightened, his other arm wrapping itself securely around Cloud's small frame, both men still unaware that the tent had collapsed on them at the peak of their passion.

**xxx**

"Get the hell off me."

Those clear eyes twinkled mischievously, lips curling upwards at the edges in somewhat suppressed mirth. His own eyes narrowed in response, frowning at the man. He pushed away at his chest, but in an instant, both hands were pinned down on the dried, yellowed leaves on the ground by his head, the man shifting himself so that his weight effectively trapped him.

He let out a frustrated breath, pouting slightly at the man's obstinacy.

"Leon," he began, tone warning. The brunet merely ignored him and dipped low, eyes fluttering closed as he pressed his lips against the blond's, sucking at them softly and moulding them in his own, pulling back slightly and planting light kisses on his mouth over and over again before he gave those soft lips a tentative lick and resumed the kiss.

Cloud sighed involuntarily, as he felt himself sway with the warmth, felt himself melt with the flowing sensations sweeping through him like tranquil, lapping waves of an oasis. A steady breeze was whispering across the water's surface, causing gentle ripples to swell and dissipate calmly, allowing a pleasant, soothing warmth to glide down his throat and spread to the very tip of his fingers.

He was gentle and tender with his touch, causing Cloud to feel light as his head began to fog up with Leon's overpowering scent, eyelids drooping low as he sighed softly, tilting his head at a slight angle and allowing Leon's tongue to snake in, rubbing against his own slowly and sensuously. He felt Leon smile into the kiss, his own lips upturning as warmth bubbled through him like a wave of warm sunshine on a cold winter's day, melting the thin layer of snow and giving sunrays to the greenery that hid underneath the sheen of white.

He felt complete – at absolute peace with the world. At that moment, he didn't care anymore for Heartless or even Hollow Bastion and the people in it. . . He just wanted this moment of warmth and intimacy with Leon, this freedom his soul felt as the brunet whispered his name with so much longing and earnestness that it made him want to have nothing more than to hold him in a protective, secure embrace.

The grip on his wrists loosened and Cloud raised his arms to wrap around Leon's neck, pulling him closer, relishing the warmth that seemed to soak through his skin as the dark-haired man began to plant breathy kisses at the corner of his mouth, trailing his jaw before he pressed a lingering, chaste kiss to his forehead.

Cloud kept his eyes shut, lips still curved in a serene smile as he savoured the this brief moment that seemed to drag on for hours, imprinting every feel and impression of Leon's lips on his skin into his mind, wishing that it would last an eternity.

Leon pulled away slowly, eyes half-lidded as his smile widened into a grin, gazing down at the blond in unequivocal fondness.

Cloud opened his eyes languidly, peeking at him through his long lashes with an expression that held defeat, a small grin curling at his own lips as he looked up hopelessly at the older man.

"You didn't have to tackle me, you know."

"I didn't. You happened to fall over in the process."

He snorted at that, sitting up as Leon pulled back, straddling his thighs and loosely draping his arms around the smaller man's figure, resting his forehead against Cloud's languidly. The blond's arms relaxed as he leaned in, closing his eyes, a delicate smile lighting up his features.

"It's getting dark," he said, his soft voice barely carrying over the breeze.

"It is," Leon replied quietly, pressing a brief, chaste kiss to his lips, sighing lightly.

"We should get a fire started," Cloud told him, smile widening coyly.

"We should," he responded noncommittally.

"And maybe try to re-pitch the tent," Cloud said pointedly this time, his telling tone forcing Leon to pry an eye open.

"Maybe."

"We won't have anywhere to sleep tonight if we don't."

"Mm. . . sex under the stars. Good enough for me. Won't be so hot."

Cloud snorted loudly at that, lightly pushing Leon away to get to his feet, brushing dirt off his clothes as Leon kept his eyes trained on him, quietly observing the blond while he started to pick at the leaves that had gotten entangled in his hair.

He stayed in that position for a while longer before Cloud had playfully thrown some rope at him, telling him to gather some firewood, to which Leon had raised the rope and raised his eyebrows at them rather suggestively. Retorting laughingly with a wistful, "I'm still sore!" Cloud managed to get Leon to stand up, the brunet cracking a rather crude smile as he did so before turning on his heel and walking into the forest to gather some dried branches.

The sun was sinking low in the sky, casting long streams of soft, red sunlight across the expanse of the wood by the time Leon returned and started a large fire. Cloud managed to pitch their tent without incident and had rummaged through their food supplies during the dark-haired man's absence, gathering some water in a large pot from a nearby lake. Extraordinarily enough, he found that he had to fend Leon off as he attempted to cook some stew, his usually-detached lover strangely fervent now that they were alone together on something of a holiday away from Hollow Bastion and the ups and downs of reconstruction work.

It was only their third day camping, and already they had to have had sex a rough seven or eight times, Leon more open and affectionate with him than he had ever been before. After Sora had sealed Kingdom Hearts, Leon had taken a completely new outlook on life, more happy and keyed up than he had ever been, growing closer with his friends and spending as much time as he could with Cloud, who hadn't changed much – still as closed off and reserved as usual – though he secretly enjoyed the attention Leon was giving him, the brunet's antics amusing him to no ends.

"You could get off your ass and help me make dinner, you know?" Cloud said with a ghost of a smile, emptying a can of meat into the pot that was hanging over the fire. Leon was lying on the ground, leaning up against a large, dried log, watching Cloud as he always did.

"Nah, you're better at cooking anyways. I like the view from here."

"Admitting that I'm better than you? Wow, I never expected it of you, Leon," Cloud replied jokingly, wiping his hands on his pants and walked towards the brunet.

"Whatever you say. I'm still on top when it comes to sex," Leon replied lightly, smirking at the blond approaching him who only rolled his eyes in response. Grabbing Cloud by the wrist, Leon pulled the smaller man down towards him, getting him to sit on the log before he lowered his head onto Cloud's lap.

"You're so childish sometimes, it's unnerving," Cloud said with a soft chuckle, running his fingers through Leon's shaggy hair. "Just humour me, will you," Leon murmured in response, closing his eyes and allowing his lover to pamper him, humming contentedly as he mused about Cloud having good hands.

Leon's lazy mood beginning to rub off on him, Cloud brushed his long brown bangs out of his eyes indolently, catching sight of the smooth scar running through his eyebrows before finding himself lightly tracing it with a finger. Leon's eyes had opened at that, the brunet peering at Cloud who was appreciating how chiselled and fine Leon's features were, the scar adding a more real dimension to the man.

Leon knew full well how Cloud viewed himself – as a monster. Cloud felt himself different from everyone else because of the darkness that had consumed him for nine long years, in addition to the deal he had made with Hades. He was still caught up in the past; disregarding the fact that he had survived the horrors of the darkness and the suffering of the Underworld. Even though he was younger than Leon himself, his eyes held a sort of world-weary wisdom that matched Merlin's. Cloud hardly ever spoke, much less about himself and of the time before they had met Sora.

He was extremely reluctant to divulge any information that involved his association with the darkness, not from shame – though it was there, but not as strongly as Cloud himself would have hoped to have felt – but more from some sort of experience he would much rather forget. Even when Leon would bring it up, Cloud's expression would darken, quickly ending the subject by instigating Leon's own past.

"You know, from here, those stars kind of look like Merlin's pointy hat," Leon said suddenly, breaking the silence and pointing up at the stars.

Disbelieving what he had just heard – from _Leon_ no less – Cloud couldn't help but stare incredulously at the brunet, his finger still resting on the tip of the scar.

A little uncomfortable at the contact, Leon persisted in Cloud stargazing with him, scowling when the blond suggested that he had caught a cold of some sort what with his current demeanour. Reluctantly, Cloud raised his gaze, trying to spot the cluster of stars Leon was describing to him.

"That one there? That's Orion's Belt. It's just three stars in a straight line."

"I see it. . ." Cloud murmured in response, hand no longer resting on Leon's forehead, but withdrawn and lying on his lap, above the brunet's head.

"There's the Big Dipper. It's supposed to look like a sort of ladle."

"Really? It looks more like a box tied to some string."

"Funny. Very funny."

"It would be funnier if you laughed. No wait, my mistake. That would actually be pretty terrifying."

"I'm not gonna bother dignifying that statement with an answer."

"Well then, by all means, please continue with your educational lecture on astronomy, Professor Leon."

Leon snorted at, eyes scanning the sky for familiar constellations. Cloud had grown silent, fingers threading in Leon's hair as he quietly observed the night sky, flashes of the time he spent wandering around fluttering briefly through his mind, the stars bearing some weight to his search for the light.

As Leon brought a hand up to indicate another constellation, Cloud had already beat him to it, pointing at a arrangement of brilliant stars that looked like sphere.

"Those," he said softly, "Are the closest stars you can see. They're actually in some warp hole, but for some odd reason, you can find them in almost any world. That one star that deviates a little from the circle? That points to North. In the Underworld, those are the only stars bright enough that can actually be seen."

Leon remained silent momentarily, quietly absorbing Cloud's explanation and willing the blond to speak. Cloud was never usually prompted to talk of his own free will, and now that he was mentioning his experience with Hades, Leon was all ears.

"Apparently those ring of stars are actually supposed to be a handful of worlds that haven't been touched by the darkness yet. They say that magic protects them. If Sora could somehow get there and find out how, Hollow Bastion and all the other worlds could use that same magic and. . .well. . . but it's not possible, so it's just wishful thinking on my behalf," Cloud ended sheepishly.

"Why not?" Leon asked, tearing his eyes away from the sky and watching the blond studiously.

"If a world hasn't been touched by the darkness, that means that the keyhole is still sealed. Not much point to go there, don't you think?"

"Maybe. But it's still worth a shot."

Both of the men didn't speak, each wallowing in their on reflections and thoughts calmly before Leon broke the silence and pointed out another cluster of stars.

"That's a Moogle, right there."

The corners of Cloud's mouth quirked upwards at that statement.

"I'm pretty sure that that constellation doesn't exist."

"Oh no, it does," Leon jibed, outlining the shape in the sky with a finger. "That's the big nose, the round tummy and a little higher. . . See that? That's the pom-pom."

Cloud bit down on his lower lip, trying his best not to break out in sniggers at this revelation and fighting hard to keep a reasonably straight face. Leon managed a glance of the blond's valiant efforts and grinned, training his gaze on the sky and pointing out another shape.

"That constellation there is Pongo and Perdita. Those are the tails, and a little lower are the paws. . . The heads are right there, resting against one another. And if you look at it this way," Leon paused, tilting his head slightly in the younger man's lap as he squinted, "It looks like Cid with his mouth hanging wide open."

A full-fledged smile had already stretched across Cloud's face as he attempted to keep it from growing, resting an elbow on his knee and bringing a fist up to press his mouth up against. The brunet saw the creases at the corner of Cloud's eyes that couldn't be hidden and grinned again.

"What? Don't know your constellations? It's a wonder you even survived growing up."

"Ha-ha, very funny, Leon," Cloud replied, but the deadpan was delivered unsuccessfully because the blond had a thoroughly amused expression on his face.

"That, over there, is Sora, with his big hair and oversized shoes," Cloud said pointedly, making things up as he went along. "Those are his eyes, and his nose. . . and that big, idiotic grin. See it?"

Leon laughed, nodding.

"What about that one over there? Beside Pongo and Perdita's constellation."

". . . Yuffie's shuriken. . . stuck in Cid's forehead."

"No wonder his mouth's wide open. Screaming in agony."

"No shit. That thing's bloody sharp."

"See that over there? That cluster of blue stars with one shooting out of the order and running down in a series?"

Cloud nodded.

"That's a Gunblade."

"Are you sure?" Cloud asked, looking down at Leon with an unrestrained grin. "Looks more like a Buster Sword to me."

"Too thin to be a Buster Sword," Leon countered quickly, smirking up at Cloud.

"Too long to be a Gunblade," Cloud countered almost immediately, grin widening.

For a short moment, as their eyes met, both men locked in each other's smouldering gaze, a single thought went through their minds.

"Keyblade," they concluded simultaneously.

(Somewhere, a comatose teenager was rolling around in his sleep, eyebrows furrowed together in irritation.)

They remained in that position, finishing off the stew Cloud had cooked in silence until the fire had burned down to a few flickering embers. The cool breeze of autumn was blowing through gently, carrying a few golden leaves with it and getting it caught in the catches of both men's outfits though none were bothered enough to move, much less clear the leaves from their clothes.

As the fire died down, Cloud and Leon had huddled a little closer, the older man still lying on Cloud's lap, only the body heat they shared warming them as the temperature began to steadily drop. Leon wished that he had brought out a thin blanket earlier, but he did nothing about it, preferring to gaze at Cloud as the blond gently brushed the leaves out of his hair with his hand.

Leon raised a hand, gripping Cloud's wrist and pressing his lips to Cloud's palm, eyes never leaving the younger man's. Cloud merely smiled, leaning over and quietly scanning the dishevelled appearance of his lover before returning the affectionate gaze.

"It's getting rather cold, isn't it?" he asked quietly, eyes half-lidded.

"It is," Leon murmured huskily, lacing their fingers together and giving his hand a tender squeeze.

"I'll go get more firewood, in that case," Cloud replied with a grin, gently pushing Leon's head off his lap and getting to his feet, trying to ignore the dissatisfied noise Leon made as the older man made a grab for his waist and wrist, attempting to pull him down again. Luckily, the blond managed to make it some feet away, and Leon was simply too lazy to get to his feet to go after Cloud, instead preferring to scowl at the man for depriving him of a perfectly good pillow.

"As much as I love cuddling with you, we'll both freeze to death if we don't rekindle the fire," Cloud explained lightly, smiling coyly at Leon as his face fell. With a soft murmur of promise to return in a short while, Cloud set off into the forest to gather a handful of dried branches.

Feeling rather light-hearted, Cloud walked with an unfathomable bounce in his step, cold hands buried deep in his pockets as he allowed his mind to wander. Most of his thoughts were about Sora, the Keyblade, and everything that had happened to him after finding the rest of the worlds intact after 9 years of darkness, but somehow they all eventually led back to Leon.

His relationship with Leon was. . . interesting, to say the least. They hardly spoke to one another – their thoughts nearly always on the same track so that words were unnecessary – so it had been quite a surprise to Cloud what with the amount of chitchat Leon had been providing throughout their camping trip. It had been a pretty casual friendship at first, but somewhere along the lines, it had become a little more. . . intimate. More personal. Maybe sometime after they had first sparred with Sora together. He touched Cloud more, the contact almost always lingering, drawn out; Leon gentler with him than he did any other person, though this was, of course, discreetly so. As their. . . friendship. . . progressed, Leon had taken to holding his hand and flashing him small, shy smiles whenever they were alone together.

It had never been anything more than that, and though thrilling, Cloud didn't want their relationship to escalate into something beyond those lingering touches and fleeting smiles.

That was enough for him.

Having everything precious ripped away before his eyes once before, he was reluctant to create relationships of any sort. Unfortunately, Phil had long ago decided that they were an excellent pair of warriors that complimented the skills of one another and had never bothered changing the battle roster. But even so, the brunet himself seemed hesitant to initiate anything more – only gathering enough courage to cross the distance between the two long after Kingdom Hearts had been sealed. Theirs was something very interpersonal, something intimate that had taken immense patience and plentiful time between them to foster. In fact, their relationship had only gained a sexual nature about only a week before – close to a year after Leon had taken that mighty leap of faith.

So Cloud had been pretty much stuck with Leon since then.

That first meeting Cloud had with Leon had certainly been unexpected, and he had already assumed that the man would brush him off – give him the cold shoulder, considering the fact that his rather boisterous partner had already strongly hinted throughout their time together that he had severed his ties to his past. Cloud would have probably just been a painful reminder of the darkness that fell upon Hollow Bastion all those years ago, and to be completely honest, he wouldn't have minded not being acknowledged at all by the man in the least.

Cloud's ties to Hades and the Underworld were already incriminating and disgusting, and he knew for a fact that the God of the Dead was keeping a sharp eye out for anyone that he interacted with. As strong as the impulse was to go up to the man he had once played with and known as Squall, Cloud suppressed it and pushed away any emotion that stirred inside him, preferring to feign indifference, and even repulsion, to keep Leon a safe distance away from him and Hades' keen eyes.

Yuffie, on the other hand, was a completely different story.

She had spotted him and immediately jumped him, wrapping her thin arms around his neck and squeezing the last ounce of breath from his lungs. He found himself helpless to do anything else but pat her back in hopes that she would, at least, loosen her grip around his neck and crack a miniscule smile for her, asking about her current condition. She had only been a child – a babe, by his standards – the last time they had met.

As she began her long-winded tales about what had happened to her and the rest of the Hollow Bastion survivors, Cloud had, to his misfortune, forgotten that her partner was sure to be looking for her.

He had.

Meeting Leon in the flesh was certainly different from watching from the constraints of the shadows. He looked sterner, more severe, a little more mature. Cloud noted wistfully that he had grown his hair out; merely giving the man a curt nod, and that had been all. His words had been for Yuffie, and even then it had been because he knew Hades wouldn't bother recruiting such a soft-hearted girl who was surely in it only for a little battle experience and to perhaps train someone rumoured to be an ally to the Light.

Leon, he couldn't risk befriending.

The cold exterior he constantly displayed when he was with the brunet, in addition to the menacing words and haughty airs he put on were all ploys to keep Leon far away that succeeded, but after the older man had accidentally seen his wing, no amount of pretending could keep him and his questions away.

Cloud hadn't realized when the forest had grown darker, the dirt path now twisting and turning deeper into the bowels of the black wood, the loud, echoing snap of a twig tearing him away from his thoughts. The golden rust of the autumn trees had turned into the dark shade of a murky tarn, branches thick with damp, coiling leaves that blocked out any light and only allowed one path through the forest.

Everything was foreboding, yet Cloud kept on walking, unable stop for some inexplicable reason. He had the strongest urge to turn back and break into a run for the campsite, firewood be damned, but something kept him moving, pulled him deeper into the forest. Cloud wished then that he had been at least clear-headed enough to have brought a weapon of any sorts along, but nothing could be done.

The atmosphere of the wood was heavy and eerily calm, without any wind to sway the branches of the black trees, and leaves a dense thicket that concealed the moon. He felt suffocated, as though no oxygen was passing through his lungs and a sharp blade had pierced through his chest, puncturing his heart.

Already, Cloud's knees were starting to wobble, a heady feeling overwhelming him as his legs were no longer able to support his weight. He collapsed to the ground, panting violently as he clutched his throat gasping at the air harshly. His vision was a blur, nothing focused and everything a pitch black so that he could barely make anything out. Something sharp suddenly impressed itself under his chin, forcing him to raise his head and look up.

"Long time no see."

All that Cloud could hear was the incessant pounding of his heart in his head, eyes widened in disbelief.

That voice. . . _that voice_. . .

". . . what. . . did you. . . do. . . to me? . . bas. . . tard. . ."

That smirk. _That sneer_.

"Magnificent words of reunion. Your verbal prowess simply confounds me, Cloud."

_Sephiroth_.

The taller man loomed over the blond, his beatific wing outstretched behind him and casting an almost ethereal quality to the sinister man, his sword firm in his grip as the tip began to cut into Cloud's skin. Fighting the urge to heave, Cloud forced himself up, struggling to keep both eyes open as the silver-haired man easily manoeuvred himself towards Cloud, raising him up in the air by the throat, all in a swift movement. The blond grasped at Sephiroth's hand, trying to pry his slender fingers off as he dangled some feet away from the ground, choking slightly.

"What's stopping you, Cloud? Why are you still existing meaninglessly with those pitiable fools?"

When there was no answer to be had, Sephiroth merely narrowed his eyes on Cloud, tightening his grip and causing a small whinge of pain to sound from the blond.

"They cause you so much _pain_. How many times have you been stepped on for the sake of others? How many times have they seduced you into a false security, discarding you like trash immediately after discovering your past?"

_Too many times. . . too many times to count. . ._

"Come with me. . ." Sephiroth whispered, "Come with me and you will be _free_. No one to degrade you. . . no one to _hurt_ you. . ."

_No. . . no pain. . . no lies. . . no bigotry. . . nonononononononononononono. . . . ._

"No one will command you, no one will force you to fight for a lost cause. Come with me, Cloud, and all your most intimate desires will be realized. I can make it all come true. I can make it all come true."

_. . . no one to order to kill. . . no more deaths. . . soar. . .freely. . . no binds. . .no attachments. . ._

"Tell me, Cloud," Sephiroth spoke, hushed; his warm breath a caressing gust on Cloud's skin, sending tingles down the blond's spine.

"What is your innermost wish?"

_life sora keyblade leon kingdom hearts gummi ship cid freedom peace yuffie leon aerith leon moogle friends light darkness door fight sword battle leon companion buddies worlds lock door key fight friendship hope desire prayers leon emptiness happiness leon leon leon leonleonleonleonleonleonleonleon traverse town home house home bike sora key lock door light life words jiminy king life life leon family love sky earth soil land sea ocean freedom happiness leon king key door lock sora keyblade peace kingdom hearts darkness light_

". . . I will. . . never tell. . .you. . ."

At those words, the cool countenance Sephiroth had projected shattered like finely spun glass, his face containing pure rage and abhorrence as he tightened his grip around Cloud's neck, raising the smaller man higher in the air and making him choke harder, splutter for air that was already so scarce to his weakening body.

"Tell me, is what you think most important to you really all that significant? If I were to destroy what you deem most intimate to you, would it make a world of difference? It would _break_ you. . .but perhaps you need to be broken before you can understand the true power of the darkness. . ."

"What. . .what do you. . ."

"You're never careful of the important things, are you?" Sephiroth questioned with a cruel sneer, the knowing look in his eyes making Cloud go cold, his insides curdling as the implication of the man's words sank in.

_Leon_.

"Maybe you'll reconsider," Sephiroth said with a smirk, abruptly releasing Cloud and retreating into the shadows, the darkness melting away and releasing its hold of the forest. Slowly, the rusted shades of autumn returned to the trees and leaves, colouring the foliage and allowing a little light from the moon to illuminate the dirt path Cloud was lying on. The heavy atmosphere had lifted, and he found it easier to breathe, regulating his breaths before shakily getting to his feet, fearing the worst.

Cloud broke into a run in the opposite direction, legs searing with heat as he forced himself to dash through the wood with as much stamina as he could muster. He swiped away at the low branches, ignoring the steady trail of leaves carried by the wind that got into his hair and face as he felt himself on the verge of collapsing.

He couldn't hear anything else but the harsh pants his breaths had been reduced to, the pounding of his heart resonating in his head and chest, and the rush of adrenaline that had taken over his limbs as he felt himself detach from his body, a surreal feeling enveloping him. The surge of emotions overwhelming him were too much to handle, confusing his thoughts and making him feel afraid and angry and apprehensive all at once. The various 'what if's his mind conjured were breaking him slowly, and he was sure that he would soon drop onto the ground and scream with anguish, banishing any remote form of sanity that was left to him.

Beyond the next trees, the campsite was already in view. Desperately, Cloud ran towards it, looking about wildly for any sign of the brunet – even blood. The tent was still there, the campfire untouched. The pot and bowls strewn about the log were in the exact same position as before.

Nothing.

No one.

Cloud fell to his knees, trying to keep the sharp pants from turning into distressed sobs. All the energy that remained to him took wing, draining him of anything except for the anger and pain that accompanied the sorrow his heart was feeling. He leaned over, hands clenched into tight fists as his entire body began to tremble violently. Cloud felt himself aflame, like fire was scorching him from within and slowly burning him until he could no longer feel.

"You sure took your time."

Cloud froze, unable to move.

That voice. . . _That voice_. . .

"Cloud? Is something wrong? Are you injured?"

Strong hands were already at his arms, pulling Cloud upwards so that he came face to face with a pair of piercing grey eyes, a smooth scar that cut sharply through a pair of finely sculpted eyebrows, shaggy brown hair that spilled over wide shoulders messily.

"There doesn't seem to be anything wrong. . . Can you stand up?"

Leon steadily guided Cloud to his feet, brushing off some of the dirt from the blond's knees before a pair of shaky hands were already at the base of his neck, squeezing his shoulders and bringing him up so that both men were face to face.

It was then did the brunet notice the desolate and utterly lost look in Cloud's piercing eyes, face red and expression worn. As he opened his mouth to enquire about what had occurred, Cloud had already pressed his lips against Leon's mouth, tongue probing desperately, searchingly though gentle and almost timid; as though afraid.

Hesitant, Leon didn't respond at first, only obeying as Cloud pulled Leon closer, closing the space between their bodies and squeezing his eyes shut as he deepened the kiss. Softly, he pressed several chaste kisses to Leon's lips before capturing them for a lingering, meaningfully tender kiss.

Hands loosened in their grip, Cloud lowered them to the small of Leon's back, clawing desperately, as though willing for the brunet to respond, needing the reaction to reaffirm that he was real – that what he was feeling and holding onto was all real. His lips trembled as they pressed a little more frantically against the man's, whimpering at the lack of response.

Finally understanding, Leon slowly brought his hands up to grip Cloud's arms, rubbing them coaxingly, imploring him to relax as he pulled away gently, kissing his lips repeatedly before trailing to his forehead, enveloping Cloud in a secure embrace as he pressed a lingering kiss to his temple.

However, even then it wasn't enough.

Cloud's grip on the back of Leon's shirt could only tighten as he leaned back in the brunet's arms, capturing his lips in a more certain kiss, gaining a little confidence as Leon pushed his own tongue against the blond's reassuringly. Through the reassuring touches and kisses, Cloud had managed to lead them back towards the tent, pushing Leon down onto the sleeping bags they had so painstakingly cleaned a little earlier.

Trembling only very slightly now, Cloud pushed Leon's jacket off, letting the brunet unzip his top and toss it to the side as he began to fumble with their pants. They were both unbearably quiet, never having experienced something quite as surreal as the situation at hand. Usually, Cloud and Leon would have been all over each other, ripping away anything hindering the contact of skin upon skin, moans and resonating groans of pleasure for one another being all that could register through the maddening heat.

But this. . . This was. . .different. Timid. Meticulous. But Leon felt that it was most appropriate – felt that this shouldn't really be happening at all, but it was and this was the only way he felt he could do it.

As soft, hot lips began to trail light, fleeting kisses along his throat, Leon felt his chest constrict at the beseeching expression Cloud had unknowingly been projecting; his shaking hands gentle and tender, his kisses no longer as ravenous or hungry as it had been only that morning. This hunger was of a different kind. . .more desperate. . . more lonely, more needy.

Leon grasped Cloud's hand, lacing their fingers together and squeezing tightly, feeling Cloud squeeze just as hard as the brunet sat up a little, gently guiding Cloud towards him as he managed to shrug out of his trousers. Cloud fumbled around at the corner of the tent for a bottle of lubricant, uncapping it maladroitly with one hand before slick, cool liquid dribbled across his palm, the blond smearing it all over his hand.

Tentatively, Cloud gripped Leon's arousal with his wet hand, lowering his face slowly so that his hot breath tickled the older man's skin before letting his tongue unroll and lick at the pre-cum, eliciting a shudder before he ran his tongue slowly along the underside.

Taking his time, as though savouring the moment, as though reaffirming in his mind that everything was real, Cloud gradually took as much as he could into his mouth, his lubricated hand rubbing the base coaxingly. Curling his tongue around the head, Cloud began to bob his head up and down steadily, sucking softly as he did so. Leon moaned quietly, breath hitching as he entwined his fingers in Cloud's messy spikes, urging him on.

Cloud closed his eyes, tightening his lips around Leon's erection and speeding up, his free hand holding down the brunet's hip when he bucked into Cloud's hot mouth, thrusting slightly. He pulled away, ignoring the trail of saliva dribbling from the corner of his mouth. Lowering his head, Cloud flicked his tongue out timidly at his arousal, gripping it at a slight angle so that the incursion would be easier. The younger man nibbled at Leon's balls gently, tongue slowly snaking upwards, spreading hot saliva across Leon's smooth, firm stomach and higher, to his taut chest. Lapping at a hardened nipple, Cloud began to pump Leon steadily, his wet hand lubricating the man as he did so.

Gripping the back of Cloud's head, Leon pulled the man up so their lips would meet for a more urgent kiss, the older man relinquishing his grip and groping blindly for the catches of Cloud's pants before successfully managing to undo them, gasping harshly when Cloud squeezed him tightly.

Never the more patient of the pair, Leon stopped Cloud's hand, pulling the man on top of him, opening the blond's mouth with his own and probing with a little more force as he grasped the man's slender hips, wet and sweaty fingers slowly slipping past the tense ring of muscle and stretching him out before guiding him over his erection as Cloud aimed carefully.

With a sharp thrust, Cloud felt his body jerk pleasurably, arms wrapped around Leon's neck and face buried in Leon's chest, a breathy shudder escaping him as he closed his eyes, trying his best to ignore the pain. Gently, Leon picked the blond up, pressing a soft, reassuring kiss to the crook of his neck before plunging into him again, eliciting a soft whimper from him.

Murmuring tenderly in Cloud's ear, Leon began to aid the smaller man's rhythm, thrusting upwards to meet his movement, grinding softly as Cloud continually clawed his back, pressing for more.

It was unlike anything they had ever had before. Everything was now so delicate. . .so fragile and drawn out and tender that neither of them expected to sway to their climax so quickly. What raged through them wasn't the usual, mindless tempest that ravaged all coherent thought and left them breathless, panting, craving lustfully for more. This strange tenderness similar to the calm, lapping ripples of a soothing oasis washed calmly through their bodies, pleasurably light and sweet and addictive, was nothing like the passionate fire that flared through them furiously. Cloud felt like he could smile fully at the man, do nothing else but kiss and hold him as they rocked together gently, feeling no heat course through his blood as it usually would.

No, all he felt was warmth.

It was spraying through him mildly, enveloping him in something so intimate and tender, he felt absolute completion unlike he had ever experienced before when both he and Leon orgasmed.

Lying in a breathless heap on the sweat drenched sleeping bags, Cloud felt kisses light and meaningful pressed on his lips over and over again, clinging to Leon in his last ounce of desperation as he refused to let the darkness of rest overcome him, pressing himself up against that warm body and whispering his name over and over again.

Those sharp, foreboding azure eyes still burned clearly to the back of his mind, Cloud found that his eyes could not close, gazing deeply, longingly into Leon's. Somehow, he understood. He always understood.

That night, and throughout dawn, they only held each other, whispering kisses through the flowing hours, passion and desire giving way to pure affection that was licking away the lust with the warmth of a flame.

**the end**


End file.
